What is Sunan an-Nasa'i 4888 about?

This hadith from Sunan an-Nasa'i (Book of The Book of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief), narrated by It was narrated from Safwan bin Umayyah, that:, states: "a man stole a Burdah of his, so he brought him before the Messenger of Allah, who ordered that his hand be cut off. He said: "O Messenger of Allah, I will let him have it." He said: "Abu Wahb! Why did…"

Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Hasan. Hasan hadiths are considered good and acceptable in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sunan an-Nasa'i, which contains 5,768 hadiths across 52 books. It is hadith number 4888 in the Book of The Book of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief.

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

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#4887

#4888

Sunan an-Nasa'i

#4889

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Sunan an-Nasa'i #4888

The Book of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief

Hasan

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

أَخْبَرَنَا هِلاَلُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي قَالَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، سَرَقَ بُرْدَةً لَهُ فَرَفَعَهُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَمَرَ بِقَطْعِهِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَدْ تَجَاوَزْتُ عَنْهُ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ أَبَا وَهْبٍ أَفَلاَ كَانَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَنَا بِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَطَعَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏

a man stole a Burdah of his, so he brought him before the Messenger of Allah, who ordered that his hand be cut off. He said: "O Messenger of Allah, I will let him have it." He said: "Abu Wahb! Why didn't you do that before you brought him to us?" And the Messenger of Allah had (the man's) hand cut off.

Narrated by It was narrated from Safwan bin Umayyah, that:

Context

In this hadith, a man brought a thief who had stolen his Burdah to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The Prophet ordered the thief's hand to be cut off, but the owner of the Burdah expressed his willingness to forgive. The Prophet responded by questioning why he didn't forgive the thief before bringing him to him. This situation highlights the importance of addressing grievances directly and the serious nature of theft in Islamic law.

Modern Application

This principle emphasizes the importance of resolving conflicts and grievances privately before escalating them to authorities. In today's context, individuals are encouraged to seek reconciliation and forgiveness in personal disputes, fostering a more compassionate and understanding community.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Punishments (Hudud) because it discusses the prescribed punishment for theft as mandated in Islamic law.

Punishments (Hudud)

Related Ayahs

سُورَةُ المَائـِدَةِ

Al-Maaida (The Table)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

2 ayahs

وَٱلسَّارِقُ وَٱلسَّارِقَةُ فَٱقْطَعُوٓا۟ أَيْدِيَهُمَا جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَسَبَا نَكَٰلًۭا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ

[As for] the thief, the male and the female, amputate their hands in recompense for what they committed as a deterrent [punishment] from Allah. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.

إِنَّمَا جَزَٰٓؤُا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا أَن يُقَتَّلُوٓا۟ أَوْ يُصَلَّبُوٓا۟ أَوْ تُقَطَّعَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُم مِّنْ خِلَٰفٍ أَوْ يُنفَوْا۟ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لَهُمْ خِزْىٌۭ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَهُمْ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ

Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment,

سُورَةُ طه

Taa-Haa (Taa-Haa)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

قَالَ ءَامَنتُمْ لَهُۥ قَبْلَ أَنْ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱلسِّحْرَ ۖ فَلَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلَٰفٍۢ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ فِى جُذُوعِ ٱلنَّخْلِ وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ أَيُّنَآ أَشَدُّ عَذَابًۭا وَأَبْقَىٰ

[Pharaoh] said, "You believed him before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will surely know which of us is more severe in [giving] punishment and more enduring."

سُورَةُ الفُرۡقَانِ

Al-Furqaan (The Criterion)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

وَيَوْمَ يَعَضُّ ٱلظَّالِمُ عَلَىٰ يَدَيْهِ يَقُولُ يَٰلَيْتَنِى ٱتَّخَذْتُ مَعَ ٱلرَّسُولِ سَبِيلًۭا

And the Day the wrongdoer will bite on his hands [in regret] he will say, "Oh, I wish I had taken with the Messenger a way.

سُورَةُ الشُّعَرَاءِ

Ash-Shu'araa (The Poets)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

قَالَ ءَامَنتُمْ لَهُۥ قَبْلَ أَنْ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱلسِّحْرَ فَلَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ ۚ لَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلَٰفٍۢ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

[Pharaoh] said, "You believed Moses before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic, but you are going to know. I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will surely crucify you all."

Common Words

105 total76 unique21 repeated

من5x

فى4x

أن3x

خلف3x

أو3x

ٱلله2x

قال2x

ءامنتم2x

له2x

قبل2x

ءاذن2x

لكم2x

إنه2x

لكبيركم2x

ٱلذى2x

علمكم2x

ٱلسحر2x

أيديكم2x

وأرجلكم2x

ولأصلبنكم2x

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About Sunan an-Nasa'i

This hadith is #4888 from Sunan an-Nasa'i, in the Book of The Book of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief. It is graded Hasan and narrated by It was narrated from Safwan bin Umayyah, that:.

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Sunan an-Nasa'i #4888

Context

Modern Application

Topics

Related Ayahs

Common Words

Related Hadiths

About Sunan an-Nasa'i

About This Hadith